“One of the purposes of the construction of the tower is to let the world know about Japanese culture and technology, as well as the allure of this area of Tokyo,” said Michiaki Suzuki, president of Tobu Tower Sky Tree Co. at a ceremony on Thursday.Accepting a certificate confirming the Sky Tree as the new record holder from Alistair Richards, managing director of Guinness World Records, Suzuki told reporters, “This recognition gives us great strength as we strive to meet that goal.”

Construction work on the broadcasting tower — which dominates the skyline of northern Tokyo — is close to being completed, although interior details remain to be finished. The tower will have two observatories, one at 350 meters and the second at 450 meters, as well as shops and restaurants.

The low-rise “shitamachi” working-class district of Sumida Ward is also benefitting from an influx of visitors wanting to see the tower, which local businesses hope will continue in the future.

The mascot of the Sky Tree will be Sorakara-chan — which can be translated literally as “Child From the Sky” — while the operators of a site that is expected to be on every visitors’ itinerary have also just unveiled the uniforms their staff will be wearing from May.

The work of award-winning fashion designer Akira Minagawa, the uniforms are meant to convey a sense of nature as well as the technological advances and future ambitions that the Sky Tree embodies, the company said.

Eight different uniforms have been developed for different staff, ranging from guides to information booth staff, ticket staff and cleaners, using the two motif colors of the Sky Tree — green representing trees and blue for the sky.